Minnesota State University Moorhead
Moorhead, MN, USA

Reviews

Minnesota State University Moorhead

LeAnn from Mounds View, MN

a current student here
16 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
I am a sophomore this year, last year I learned so much I actually drug my friends to a couple of my classes because I thought they were that interesting. Now in high school it was never that way, I wanted to get drug out of class. But college is a whole new experience, if you get a chance, GO!! I really like Moorhead, it is a small campus so for those of you who get lost easily like me, there is really no chance you can get lost.
Am enjoying being here
This is my second year living in the dorms and again if you have a chance to live in the dorms, do it. This is where I met almost all of my friends. My roommate last year and I are pretty close friends now and we started last year out not knowing each other. There is so much to do on campus all the time, we have a recreation center where we can go play pool and ping pong and other stuff. The BRAND NEW gym is free for students to go to, and its pretty sweet in there!! Once a month on a Friday, Moorhead has this event called Dragons After Dark, where they have a big event going on that's free to students, there's normally free food, dancing, sometimes arts and crafts events, plus all the pool and ping pong is free. But one night there was lazer tag set up in the commons area. It was really neat. If your into sports but you don't really want to be as dedicated as college sports normally are, there are a bunch of intramural sports which a lot of the kids here play just for fun to get out and do something and meet people.
Bang for the buck
Considering Moorhead just switched to Banded Tuition this year, Banded Tuition means it doesn't matter if your taking 13 credits or 19 credits its going to be the same price either way. This is nice because say you really want to learn Piano, but the First Year Piano class doesn't help out your Dragon Core or help you at all for your major, you can take it cause it wont cost you any more money. So what I'm trying to say is that with this Banded Tuition, you can take all the classes you need to, but still take a couple classes on the side just for fun to learn the stuff and experience it.
Tips for prospective students
Some tips are, stay on campus at least your first year, go to events, that's where you can meet a lot of people, go to classes and don't be shy to sit down by a stranger, join study groups, don't pile classes up all on one day, only take as many credits as you think you can handle (if your taking a class you think is going to need a little extra work, only take 13 credits instead of 15 or 19, an F DOES A LOT to your GPA), use the buses there free to students at MSUM, bring warm clothes the winters get pretty cold (at least last year did, but last year might have been a little crazy cause we did have floods, but the floods are really uncommon to be as bad as last year so don't let that scare you away), check out the other campus's around (we have Concordia and NDSU right next to us and they have a lot of cool events going on too), if you know people here try not to always hang around with them because you might loose your chances to meet other people, most of all enjoy your time after college you have to work full time.
Great for these types of students
It great for people who like small campus's, its really hard to get lost and the teachers actually know you here because there are smaller classes. Its pretty much good for everyone, there are thousands of clubs, if you cant find a club that you would be interested in then you need to keep looking.

Rachel from Fargo, ND

a current student here
9 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
The professors are one of the biggest assets of the school. They are knowledgeable, friendly, and always willing to help students. There is one professor who learns the name and face of every student in her classes! She has over 400 per semester! Classes are NOT taught by grad students. While the professors do research and writing, their main focus is teaching.
Am enjoying being here
The atmosphere on campus is great. The school is big enough to offer many options for classes and majors, but small enough that you will always recognize people in your classes. The students are very friendly and laid back, and are continually holding doors for each other. Minnesota Nice is definitely showcased at MSUM.
Bang for the buck
MSUM is one of the least expensive schools in the country, but it's still a quality education. Even if a student put their entire tuition on student loans, they'd still graduate with significantly less debt than students who go to private schools or more expensive state schools.
Tips for prospective students
Live on campus the first year! It's not required, but freshman who live off campus never feel a connection to campus and make fewer friends. Also, get involved! There are so many clubs and organizations on campus, that something will interest you. Clubs are a great way to meet people, and if you graduate with nothing on your resume besides a degree, you might not get hired.
Great for these types of students
Laid back personalities, politically liberal mindset, these majors: art, theatre, film studies, mass communications, political science, biosciences, accounting/finance, business

Jacob from Moorhead, MN

a current student here
4 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
it's a friendly campus that will really be there for each and every student. small enough not to crowd you and big enough to widen your horizons. minnesota state university moorhead is the place for anyone to craft their future and have a good time doing it.
Tips for prospective students
college is the time to learn and expand. break your shell and make your way into the world with confidence.
Academic Rigor
classes are challenging but not unbearable. a good place to find balance between friends, academics, and family.
Dorm Life
a great place to meet friends you'll keep for a life time. the rooms have heat, electricity, and internet and are spacious enough for two. the dorms are co-ed and an excellent place to develop your social skills.
Food and Dining
the campus dining hall has many options but will slowly get old after a while. don't be afraid to cook yourself a meal in your dorm kitchen. there are cafes and sandwich shops located around campus for your convenience.
What to do for fun
there are plenty of clubs, events, and intramural sports available to students to keep them busy. travel over the bridge into fargo to experience the city nightlife on broadway and have fun with your friends and meet new people.
Bang for the buck
the tuition is one of the lowest in the region and you get great opportunities for the money you pay. cost is the same if you take between 12 and 19 credits, and this gives you room to explore areas outside of your major.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
at every homecoming game and on very special occasions, there is a dragon statue on campus that belches out fire all day in honor of the school mascot, the dragon.
Great for these types of students
moorhead is a great choice for a wide variety of majors, but anyone looking at an education degree should attend moorhead, hands-down.`
Clubs and Activities
moorhead has over 200 clubs and every weekend a student has the tough decision on deciding which activities they'll attend. it's a lively campus with a great social atmosphere.
Greek Life
home to two sororites and two fraternities, moorhead is a good place to enter into greek life and form connections that will stay strong throughout the rest of your life.
Campus Safety
moorhead has their own public safety department that is working 24/7 to keep students safe. emergency stations and phones are located all over campus. at moorhead, safety of the students is a top priority.

Sarah from South Dakota

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Tips for prospective students
try to be a little prepared before moving in or within the first couple weeks. take a tour of the campus including a couple dorms before signing a contract. pick up a map and drive around fargo-moorhead to get to know the area. make sure to also be prepared for a possible cold winter with snow boots, good coat and such.
Academic Rigor
there are many, many degrees including some unique ones. msum is very good in business, biology, history, and english to name a few. msum is also one of the only universities in the midwest that offers japanese as well as chinese language. the class sizes are perfect for students who want more interaction with the professors.
Food and Dining
there are many locations on campus for optional dining. kise, the cafeteria is open three times a day plus later at night in case you missed dinner or need night-time study food. there's also a couple coffee stops in different areas on campus.
Bang for the buck
being an out-of-state student can sometimes double the normal tuition costs, but with reciprocity with wisconsin, illinois, north dakota, and south dakota, the tuition is much, much more manageable. there's also the binded tuition which pays the same for whether you take 14 or 18 credits. this allows you to explore a new class/subject and see different subjects you like.
Clubs and Activities
there are many clubs and intramural sports to check out. i am active in japan club and korea club, two great cultural clubs where american and international students mingle through games and activities. there's also dragon nights every friday where the campus hosts some sort of activity some nights have been black light dances, culture club events with food and shows, game tournaments, and others.
Campus Safety
campus security is very helpful, even for things like jump starting your car during winter. there is a contact number given to all students just in case you're at the library too late and just would like an officer to escort you back to the dorms. it's available, but this campus feels very safe.

Carly from Wahpeton, ND

a current student here
2 people found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
MSUM provides a great learning experience for all students who attend.
A wonderful campus, small enough to get to each class on time.
Great, friendly atmosphere. I can't stress that enough!
Tips for prospective students
Tour all of the college's that are of interest to you. When you tour look around you, at the students, try picturing yourself there. Go with your gut instinct. I knew right away after I toured here that this was the school for me!
Academic Rigor
The class sizes are good. Teachers are excellent! They are very friendly and outgoing and are very understanding. There are also a lot of majors to choose from here!
Dorm Life
I highly recommend living in the dorms your first year for sure. Dorm life is amazing. You meet so many new people and make life-long friends! Living in the dorms is a great advantage- you are right on campus. Don't have to worry about leaving extra early for classes, or about the car starting.
Food and Dining
The main campus dining and only dining area here is Kise. It's a dining center. They have a variety of food choices everyday. There are also small locations on campus where food is sold also, especially coffee!
What to do for fun
When you are in college there are many things to do. Of course you will have homework to do, but what to do after that is done! In the dorms, talk to people on your floor! Get to know them. Hang out in your lounge. Friday and Saturday nights always seem to go by faster when your friends are around! Plan movie nights, go to the Dragon's After Dark's (A campus attraction held usually once a month) and go to Friday Night events also! There is always something to do here.
Bang for the buck
Moorhead here is a good price. Yes, college is expensive, but the other school I have looked into are more expensive. MSUM is a decent price and along with that price comes good education and lots of new friendly faces.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The students here, including myself love our school very much! We provide so much support for all our teams! It's never a dull moment at any of the games when your with Nemzek Noize cheering on with the crowd! Go Dragons!
Great for these types of students
MSUM is great for anyone! I think everyone should give it a shot! You will always see familiar faces everywhere you go. Friendliest school out there!
Clubs and Activities
There are so many clubs and activities here, it is hard to choose! I guarantee there is a club here for every student. You are bound to find one you are interested in. I found three!
Greek Life
I'm not in any of the Greek Life here, but I have heard some news about them. They seem very good and wonderful to join. I know last year one of the Sororities performed at a talent show and they did an excellent job! So if you are interested at all check them out!
Campus Safety
Safety on campus is good. I always see the campus safety car driving by all the time. They do their rounds every night also. A very safe campus.

Rachel from Morris, MN

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Minnesota State University of Moorhead is a great school for students who are from a small to medium sized town. Almost all of the class sizes are 20 or under; which gives the professors time to interact with every student. MSU-Moorhead has many tutoring options which make the transition from high school to college much easier.
Tips for prospective students
The only tip I have to perspective students is enroll early on. Make sure you take some fun classes, along with your core classes. It will help keep you interested, so you don't burn out right away.
Academic Rigor
The academic rigor at MSU-Moorhead is a very good pace, at least for me as a freshman in college. The professors are very helpful, and they all have office hours you can visit them and get help. It is a fast enough pace to keep me interested but not fast enough that I can't keep up; I still have more free time than I thought I would.
Dorm Life
Dorm life has been a very good experience for me. I wanted to switch rooms, and the school got me a different room assignment in less than 3 minutes! The school has great RA's and they are very helpful with transitioning into the college life. You have certain quiet hours, study rooms, a lounge, and a mini kitchen. It is like you are living in a tight knit apartment! The bathrooms are cleaned everyday, and I have never had to wait for a shower. Overall the dorm life is a great experience at MSU-Moorhead.
Food and Dining
The food and dining variety is very good. I like how MSU-Moorhead has little shops and restaurants you can buy food at. It's very convenient for on-the-go students! The reason I only gave food and dining three stars is because of Kise, the main dining facility. I only gave it three stars because they don't always cook the food right... In example the vegetables are usually undercooked, and the rice is always overcooked. Kise has a lot of differnet food options, but they need to work on their cooking times.
What to do for fun
I was disappointed that the homecoming events, which are usually very fun, call cost quite a bit of money. The dance was $10, and for a college student that is a days worth of food. But MSU-Moorhead has a lot of clubs and Intermural sport teams that you can join. Their Wellness Center is always super clean, not too packed, and has fun exercise classes you can take for free. The Wellness Center also has its very own rock climbing wall!
Bang for the buck
Personally I think that MSU-Moorhead is a very well priced school. It averages about $15,000 a year, including everything but books and supplies. But $15,000 for tuition, a meal plan, housing, and student fees? For a State University? That's a steal! MSU-Moorhead is a great school, with great credentials.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
In the middle of campus we have a metal dragon statue. During homecoming week it breathes fire all day, everyday!
Great for these types of students
Students who are from a small to medium sized city, the atmosphere is very welcoming.
Campus Safety
The public safety is always driving and walking around campus, I always feel very safe.

Danielle from Moorhead, MN

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
They have great programs here, but need to better communicate with student on how to access these. The professors are really good, I have been to another college and it did not compare. It is a good price for college.
Tips for prospective students
Find what there is here, there is a lot to help you.
Academic Rigor
They expect a lot, but this is how you learn.
Dorm Life
Very good, I love it.
Food and Dining
Not the best, but its college.
What to do for fun
Frolf, there are many courses near by or pool.
Bang for the buck
Take more classes, you pay the same price as fewer.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
The burning of the M, at homecoming.
Great for these types of students
Those who are good hard working students but not the 4.0. Most of the stuff here is geared towards the normal students.
Clubs and Activities
A lot
Greek Life
3 types, are good.
Campus Safety
They care about your safety here.

Laura from Bloomington, MN

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
Minnesota State University Moorhead is an excellent place for people to become friends in a small community setting. Moorhead's small campus of only 8,000 students is the perfect size for an incoming freshman like myself. The faculty have been fantastic, I look forward to another three years!
Tips for prospective students
Plan for a new life! This isn't high school any more. You can't just expect to get all A's for just doing the homework. Find some friends to study with, or ask your teacher for help. It's okay, everyone is new at this. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Academic Rigor
Some classes are harder than others. Try taking a lengthy History course and see how much you remember. For a freshman like myself, the classes have treated me well so far. The diversity of classes combined with the challenges between them are at a good level.
Dorm Life
Living in the dorms is nothing like I would have expected it to be. At first it's terrifying, and you don't know how to react to the small room presented to you, that you also have to share with another person. After a few days, you get to know your neighbors. I for one, am getting along great with all of the members in my hallway, and the RA's have been very kind.
Food and Dining
I love Kise! The variety is amazing. On any given day, around dinner, you can have a hamburger, sandwich, pizza, salads, the choice for dinner, or cereal. The drinks vary from juices to Pepsi and Coke. There really is nothing more you could ask for at Kise. The only downside is the choice meet is often a slab of either beef or pork, which is starting to get old.
What to do for fun
For all the new students, check out Dragon's After Dark, or the list of activities. There are dozens upon dozens of groups ranging from a Japanese Yosakoi club, to ASL clubs, and they are all looking for members.

Fernanda from Osakis, MN

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
In three sentences
MSUM is affordable, it has great academic programs and the professors are always willing to help students succeed.
Tips for prospective students
MSUM has a lot of great clubs, so new students should definitely take advantage of that. Also, do not overload yourself with classes, take sixteen credits at most. I took about nineteen credits for my first semester, I lost a lot of sleep and practically had no social life, it is a terrible idea.
Academic Rigor
The academic rigor depends on each professor and the level of the classes you're taking. Overall it is pretty reasonable, most professors just want to make sure you are learning what they're teaching, so that's what your grades will be based on.
Dorm Life
I know many people who made most of their friends in the dorms and they couldn't love it more, so that may be a good choice. But I didn't enjoy it that much during my year there. Most of my friends didn't live in my dorm, I didn't feel very comfortable sharing the bathroom with everyone on my floor and my roommate wasn't very compatible with me. Otherwise the RAs were pretty helpful, the rooms were really comfortable and it was nice to live that close to the classrooms.
Food and Dining
Overall that are great grocery stores in the area and awesome dining options on and out of campus. The only one that I didn't enjoy that much was Kise, and it is the main dining facility you are going to use if you have a meal plan. It doesn't have many healthy food options, and when it does it doesn't taste very good. I gained a lot of weight eating there, I don't recommend it.
What to do for fun
Being part of activities and clubs is a great way to have fun at MSUM. Also, they have a great Wellness Center which has all kinds of workout options, which go from group classes to a climbing wall. And all of that is free for students.
Bang for the buck
MSUM has absolutely great classes and teachers, the facilities are pretty good and it is very aesthetically pleasing. You definitely get the most of your money studying here.
Share any unusual traditions or locations on campus
During Homecoming they have a ceremony in which they burn a giant M on the football field. Also during Homecoming the dragon statue in the middle of campus starts spitting fire, it is pretty interesting.
Great for these types of students
The Business, Education and Science majors at MSUM are pretty good. The art departments are also pretty amazing, I would definitely recommend MSUM for any person pursuing any degrees they offer in different art programs.
Clubs and Activities
There are many clubs for all kinds of interests at MSUM, there are a lot of choices and they are pretty fun to be part of. Also there are all kinds of fun and interesting activities on and out of campus all year round and MSUM's teachers and staff always make sure you're aware of those.
Greek Life
Everyone I know that took part on the Greek Life at MSUM said they are a great way to have fun and to make lots of friends. There are at least three sororities and they just established a fraternity in 2012.
Campus Safety
The campus is pretty safe. I never heard of anyone I know having trouble on campus. They also have a bunch of emergency booths you can use to call Campus Security spread around campus. Also, you can sign up for emergency related texts and emails at MSUM's website, and they text you anytime there's anything suspicious going on or if there's any weather emergency.

Olivia from Green Bay, WI

a current student here
1 person found this review useful
CategoriesComments
Am learning a lot
This university has a great and diverse selection of courses. You are required to take a set of core courses to graduate, but every section has a rich selection of not only enjoyable classes but ones for your major. Your advisors for Majors and Minors work on a one-on-one basis with you to make sure you are taking the right classes. The school offers small interactive class rooms along with survey-based learning in lecture halls, and study abroad options. Moorhead works closely with the surrounding universities (Concordia College and NDSU) in something called the Ti-Collegiate program to offer even more choices.
Am enjoying being here
This place is great for students that want a small-town feel. There is not much to do in town compared to the big city but there are definately places to go. Downtown Fargo and Moorhead has a great nightlife and a quaint coffee-shop atmosphere during the day. The campus is compact so its almost impossible to lose your way to class. We sport two on-campus coffee shops in addition to a great cafeteria with diverse foods. As a freshman you will be required to take some sort of meal plan but dont fret--being on campus is an amazing thing for a first year. Take the time to get to know your teachers and fellow students.
Bang for the buck
Did I mention that North Dakota, Wisconsin, And Illinois residents get their tuition at the same rate as anyone applying in Minnesota? For roughly 16,000$ full tuition is a steal. You can minimize this by living off campus in one of the many highrise apartments in fargo or becoming a Resident Hall assistant. There are not that many work-study related jobs so be prepared to find off campus work WELL AHEAD OF TIME or save up for the year. There are not that many jobs in town either so if you're looking forward to working during the year take in your options.
Tips for prospective students
Know ahead of time what classes you plan to take. After orientation try to schedule a time with an advisor to make sure you're in the right place. Sometimes the student volunteers aren't brushed up in the area of your study. Bring excellent winter clothes because it gets COLD very fast. Research what dorm is right for you too--whether you can put up with noise in Nelson or you prefer to be in the renovated Dahl.
Great for these types of students
Anyone who wants to study history, archaeology, geology, business, and philosophy will do great here. Also if you like to be in student organizations there are over 100 to choose from. Be adventurous--even make your own!